Gerry Penalosa (51-6-2, 34 KOs) shares his name with another great warrior. If you think Gerry is short for Geraldo or Gerald, you are mistaken. His full name is Geronimo. Whether his parents named him after the Native American military leader of the same name, I can?t say. Still, they have a few things in common.
Both men were aging fighters in a young man?s game. Geronimo fought on well into his fifties. Although Penalosa is not quite that aged, he is 35, which is definitely the close to the end of the line for a fighter below lightweight. Both faced Mexican warriors (for Geronimo, the Mexican Army, for Penalosa most recently Daniel Ponce De Leon). Finally, both had or have staggering odds in front of them. Geronimo took on the US Army to preserve his tribal land. Penalosa faces a great test this Saturday in the bigger, younger, harder hitting WBO bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (34-5, 29 KOs).
If Geronimo Penalosa can face down the attack of the younger Gonzalez, as part of the Philippines versus Mexico World Cup, he could start carving out a legend of his own.
It will be no easy task, but either way, it?s been a terrific career for Penalosa, who amazingly was a world champion the same time as a prime Johnny Tapia (Tapia held the IBF and WBO belts, while Penalosa represented the WBC). He first tasted the nectar of championship when he stopped Hiroshi Kawashima to win the WBC super flyweight championship in 1997. Gerry held the title over three defenses in good company.
But the cup has been snatched away from his lips as well, most recently against the ferocious Daniel Ponce De Leon, who outworked him last March. It was a fight that some ringside observers felt should have gone Penalosa?s way. Amazingly, the official judges scored the fight 120-108, and 119-109 twice, ignoring Gerry?s defense and cleaner punching.
Moving back down to bantamweight ? a division more suited to him ? to challenge for Gonzalez?s title, Penalosa is thirsty for more glory. But Gonzalez, at 28, is seven years younger, and standing nearly 5?9 is close to four inches taller than the cagey Filipino.
It may feel like fighting another super bantamweight.
While the odds are stacked against the man from San Carlos City in the Philippines, there?s no reason to count out one of the craftiest fighters to have graced the smaller weight classes.
Despite Gonzalez?s many advantages (height, reach, youth) there is one key advantage for Penalosa: experience. Penalosa has lost only one more fight that Gonzalez, but unlike the WBO champion he has been fighting at the championship level for 10 years now and he has never been stopped, or even knocked down in 59 fights.
He?s also battle hardened from putting his title on the line away from home, where he held his own with excellent Asian fighters, such as In Joo Choo and Masamori Tokuyama, who beat him on hairline decisions on home ground.
Penalosa also has an excellent and proven chin. Gonzalez may have only been stopped once, but can be vulnerable. He?s been knocked down several times in his career and stopped by recently reinstated junior featherweight champion Israel Vasquez in one of the great fights of last year.
With Penalosa?s guile and his ability to block, deflect and absorb punches, he poses a very real threat to the younger champion. If he can get inside of the tall Gonzalez he may be able to land clean and effective blows from the southpaw stance.
It could be the last chance for Gerry, whose last world title win came a whopping ten years ago, when he stopped South Korea?s Young-Joo Choo. In his most recent fight, he just couldn?t match de Leon?s workrate. Despite landing the cleaner blows, he didn?t let his hands go enough, a fact admitted by trainer Freddie Roach to TigerBoxing?s Bill Scherer.
There will be plenty of work to do on Saturday, if Gerry?s even to get close to the towering Gonzalez, never mind outboxing him. In fights against Mark Johnson (KO8) and Irene Pacheco (TKO9), Jhonny dictated from the perimeter to break down his foes.
Like Penalosa, both Johnson and Pacheco had moved up in weight. In what could be a bad omen, both former champs, also in their mid ?30s, were simply outgunned against Jhonny. Though better preserved, Gerry has a lot to do if he?s to avoid that fate.
In an interesting twist, however, Penalosa had the rugged de Leon on the retreat in the late stages, having misshapen the natural 122-pounder?s face with right hooks and straight lefts.
By contrast Jhonny was battered in his move up to 122-pounds, by Israel Vazquez, one of the hardest hitters around, in their ten round war.
Penalosa?s not going to have that kind of impact, but could well hurt Jhonny with his well-placed shots. Jhonny?s size can have its drawbacks ? he looks thin and fragile at times ? and the Mexican is an inviting target for body shots.
Should Gerry pull off the upset, there will be plenty for the Filipino, who would fit nicely into a strong international lineup at bantamweight.
He would look like an excellent notch on the belt of any of the other champions at 118-pounds, including Japan?s Hozumi Hasegawa (WBC), Luis Perez of Nicaragua (IBF) and German-based technician Wladimir Sidorenko (WBA). All would be intriguing for the 18-year veteran, and the top ten is filled with quality names, including the former long time WBC king Veeraphol Sahaprom, of Thailand.
Interestingly, Golden Boy promotions president Oscar de la Hoya is interested in involving other countries in future World Cup of Boxing events, which could open up fresh opportunities especially if the Filipino team win on Saturday.
Whatever happens to Penalosa, the 18-year pro will have to draw on all of his superlative skills if he?s to go from veteran contender to world champion once again. If the spirit of another Geronimo is with him, then he just may have a shot.
